Want to live together but keen to resolve issues: Gogoi

Amid mounting demands for separate states by several communities in Assam, chief minister Tarun Gogoi has said he is very keen to resolve the issues.

"We want to live together but if problems exist we are very keen to sort them out in an amicable manner," Gogoi told HT.

In the capital to apprise the Congress leadership of the problems in Assam arising after the resolution of the Telengana demand, the CM, who met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday, said: "The PM has asked me to apprise the home minister on the issue. I am hopeful that the government will talk to all the parties that have demanded separate states. On Tuesday, I will also meet Congress president Sonia Gandhi and P Chidambaram (as Union home minister Sushilkumar Shinde is not well)."

However Gogoi was reluctant to club together all demands for separation. "Demands for a separate Gorkhaland (in West Bengal) or a Bodoland are old demands but they are not similar. We cannot equate them just like that, they have to be considered on a case-to-case basis."

Denying that he was carrying certain proposals to provide for a resolution of issues, Gogoi said there were many impracticalities like for instance, over-lapping of areas sought by different communities as separate states.

After announcement of Telengana, separate state demands have assumed a virulent form in Assam. The main demands have been hoisted by the ethnic Bodos, Karbis, Dimasas, and the Koch-Rajbonshis.

About 18 autonomous councils have already been formed in Assam to cater to the different communities that inhabit the state.